Electric igniter for gas-engines



(No Model.)

I. E. OULVER. ELECTRIC IGNITER FOB GAS ENGINES.

Patented Feb. 22, 1898,

n'rnu'r Winston.

FITZ E. CULVER, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS.

IELECTRIIC IGNHTER FOR GAS ENGlNES.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 599,316, dated February 22, 1898. Application filed February 15,1897- $erial No. 623,492. (No model.)

To CLZZ whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, FITZ E. OULVER, a citizen of the United States, residing at Chicago, in the county of Cook and State of Illinois, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Electric Igniters for Gas-Engines; and I do declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, and to the letters of reference marked thereon, which form a part of this specification.

This invention relates to electric igniters, commonly called sparkers, for gas-engines.

The excessive heating of the parts of a gasengine, due to the intense temperature arising from the explosions, is apt to occasion premature ignition,the explosion taking place as the charge is introduced or is in the process of compression and while the piston is making its instroke and of course causing great irregularity in the speed of the engine. In order to prevent this excessive heating, it is common to use a water-jacket for the cylinder, and water has also been introduced into the piston. So far as I am aware no practical means have heretofore been devised for cooling the sparker, reliance upon the cooling effect of the water in the cylinder inclosing the jacket being wholly inadequate, because the metal of which those parts of the sparker are composed which are within the cylinder does not conduct the heat with suitcient rapidity to prevent them from becoming heated beyond the temperature at which gas will ignite. A further trouble from the overheating of the sparker is the incrustation of the contacting points or surfaces by reason of the baking thereupon of the residuum from the burned gases and the consequent increase of the resistance at this point, so as to interrupt the flow of the electric current. The object of this invention is to overcome these difficulties by introducing water into the parts of the sparker which are within the combustion-chamber, these parts being chambered throughout and means being provided for serving these chambers with water.

In the drawings I show in Figure 1 a detail sectional view of a portion of a gas-engine cylinder and the two members of a sparker, the View being taken on the line 1 1 of Fig.

2. Fig. 2 is a plan section on the line 2 2 of Fig. 1; and Fig. 3 is a View, partly in section and partly in elevation, from the line 3 3 of Fig. 1.

I have not attempted to show anything novel in the form of the sparker, and do not limit myself to the form of construction shown. The invention relates not to any particular type of sparker, but is equally applicable to any device of this kind in which the parts may be chambered for the reception of water, whether the contact be by the abutting of the electrodes or by the sliding of the one upon the other.

I show in the drawings at A one end of a conventional gas-engine cylinder having a water-jacket, and at B the end of the piston of such an engine. One member 0 of the sparker is shown as being in the form of a hollow rod entering the cylinder through its head and terminating at its inner end at the point 0. The other may consist of a hollow cross-bar D, forming a T, with a tubular spindle 01 passing through the walls of the cylinder and being journaled in a suitable bushing E, fitted therein, the two members of the sparker being so disposed that one end of the bar D normally abuts against the point of the rod 0 and is separated therefrom by the rocking of the spindle cl. The last-named part is prevented from longitudinal move- The rod 0 is adjustably mounted in and 5 insulated from the cylinder-head in the following manner: A bushing H is screwed into the aperture formed in the cylinder-head, and within this bushing is placed an internally-screw-threaded thimble it, having a lat- 10o eral flange at its inner end and an external screw-thread at its outer end and being inclosed within any suitable insulating material J, which separates it electrically from.

The spindle d is provided 0 the bushing H. A nut K is applied to the outer end of the thimble h, the insulatingpacking being extended laterally,so as to prevent its electrical contact with the bushing H, and a jam-nut 7c is also fitted to the outer end of the thimble 72 so as to lock the nut K in place. The rod 0 is externally screwthreaded to take into the internal screwthread of the thimble h, so that it is not only securely held in place, but may be adjusted longitudinally at pleasure.

The water-tank M is mounted upon the upper end of the rod 0 and opens to its chamber, the tank being provided with an open nipple m, by means of which it may be filled.

The electric wires X Y, leading from the opposite poles of any suitable generator, are attached one to each of the two members of the sparker in any desired manner and at any desired point. I have shown the Wire X as being secured between the nuts K It and the wire Y as being connected with the set-screw holding the collar fin place. immaterial whether these wires be attached, as indicated, and the tubular members of the sparker utilized for carrying the current, as electrodes, or whether the wires lead through these tubular members and themselves form the contacting points at which the spark is developed.

In the form'of sparker shown the members O D constitute the electrodes, and they are separated by the contact of a suitable striker, as I), mounted upon the piston B with the member D, so as to rock the spindle d. It will be understood that means are provided, as usual in devices of this type, for normally holding the electrodes in contact, and I have not deemed it necessary to show this feature.

Water enters the members 0 D from the tank M and from the water-jacket of-the cylinder, respectively. Any steam which may be generated within these parts finds its way out and promotes the circulation of the water, thereby keeping the temperature of the sparker below the point at which gas ignites.

While I have referred to the use of water as a cooling agent, I do not restrict myself thereto, as any fluid, as air, which is suitable for the purpose may be circulated through the chambered members of the sparker. The essential feature of the invention is the provision of means for cooling the members of the sparker to their extreme ends by circulating therethrough a fluid which will convey away the excess of heat.

Both members of the sparker may, if desired, be insulated from the cylinder; but I deem it necessary to insulate only one of them, the object being to prevent short-circuiting through the walls of the cylinder.

It is entirely The separate tank M is used for supplying the insulated member of the sparker with water in order that electric connection may not be formed with any of the other parts of the engine.

I claim as my invention 1. In a sparker for gas-engines, the combination of two relatively movable chambered contacting parts adapted to carry the electric current, and means for supplying the chambers of such parts with fluid.

2. In a sparker for gas-engines, the combination with a pair of hollow contacting parts through which the electric current may be introduced from the opposite poles of a generator, means for introducing water into the chamber of such contacting parts, and means for making and breaking the contact between such parts.

3. The combination with two tubular members forming parts of an electric circuit and being adapted to enter the combustion-chamber of a gas-engine and to come intermittently into contact, of means for introducing a circulating fluid into such members.

4. The combination with a gas-engine of an igniting device comprising a fixed and movable member entering the combustion-chamber, both members having ducts leading from their outer portions to their inner extremities, means for actuating the movable member to cause its alternate contact with, and separation from the fixed member, and means for serving the ducts of such members with a fluid, the contacting portions of such members being electrodes.

5. The combination with the two electrodes of a gas-engine sparker, such electrodes being chambered from their outer portions to their inner extremities, of means for serving such chambers with a fluid.

6. The combination with a gas-engine having a water-jacket, a fixed electrode entering the combustion-chamber from without, and being chambered from its outer portion to its inner extremity, a water-tank open to the chamber of the electrode, such tank and electrode being electrically insulated from the cylinder, a movable electrode entering the combustion-chamber and being chambered from its outer portion to its inner extremity, such chamber being in communication with the water-jacket, and means for causing the intermittent contact of the electrodes.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

FITZ E. CULVER.

Witnesses:

LoUIs K. GILLsoN, SAKE D. THOMPSON.

IIO 

